Recovering gold and apparatus therefor



0. C. KNIPE.

RECOVERING GOLD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR. APPLICATION FILED ocT. 31. I921.

1,426,746, Patented Aug. 22, 1922*.

a ttozwag OLIVER C.

KNIFE, 0F PALO .arl'ro,

EECOVERING GOLB AND APPARATUS THEBILEOE.

To all whom "may concern:

Be it :nown that I Uilrvnn C. ltivrn citizen of the United States, residing at Palo Alto, in the county of. Santa Clara and State of California, have invented n w and useful Improvements n Recoverii and Apparatus There of which the ol lowing is a specification.

This inven ion relates to process and ap paratus for eating insoluble finely divided inatter carried in finely divided or colloidal condition in any menstruum in which it ma be suspended or dissolved. and particularly to such process and apparatus as n 1 oe em nloved in connection with the abstraction o't gold from a muddy watery menstruum which carries it in a finely divided condition. In the recovery of gold as now practiced the ground rock or alluvial matter carrying the hold is agitated in the presence of mercury by which much of the valuable mineral is extracted and then is treated in. chemical ways as by cyanide process or other similar treatment to extract as nearly as possible all of the valuable material. With a l of the refined conditions at present in. practice there is still about two to tour per cent gold which is not recovered. It isthe object of my invention to recover a considerable portion of this residue.

In carrying out. my invention 1 take the muddy water which is carried in suspension together with the gold and subject it to rapid rotation in a partially closed flanged drum and feed the muddy gold-bearin solution to the interior or the drum, spreading; it in a series of tine jets or spray a drum lining, one surface of which is coated or partially impregnated with substance which will have a chemical or mechanical affinity for gold. Under the centrifugal thrust the heavier particles contained in the solution are projected against the coated lining and retained thereby and after a riod of operations practically all of the insoluble material will be deposited in the form of a more or less deep film and the supernatent clean water may be carried out a drain by suction or an overflow.

My invention therefore consists o'l a. method of recovering valuable insoluble mat ter carried in a desired medium by rapidly rotating it in a closed chamber and ailixing it to the Walls thereof and Withdrawing the fluid medium. It consists also of an apparatus comprising a rotating drum means for Serial No. 511,692.

dcs :ibed and will be definitely indicated in l- 1e accompanying claims.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating .h invention:

i, ure 1 ectional elevation of an api embodying my invention. l; represents a sheet iron drum open with a wide diameter at its uter end. and mounted in a rigid substantial trunnion the other end mounts in a andard 2 and rotated at high speed from any suitable source of power by drive pulley 3. On the inner wall 0; the drum is applied a cup-shaped lining; 4:. l preferably make this of some moderately porous material such as paper which may be readily collapsed so that it may be introduced into the interior of the drum and form a snug lining. I preferably apply a stin grease to the inner wall of the drum. Under the rapid rotation of the drum the liquid carrying; the gold led from a supply t 5 through a reticulated mouth 6 is held in the term of an annular cylinder and the heavier particles driven toward the walls and settle upon the paper lining, combining 1 i a cohesive way either chemically or mechanically with the greased surface. After a short interval of time the insoluble portions of the lluid medium fed to the drum will be practically all extracted. The heavier particles. as gold, being closest to the greasy sin-taco oi the paper and the roclry matter lying on top. whereas above will lie a considerable depth of clean water which may be i by a suction through a pipe 7, the suction being controlled by a cock 8. 1 preferably insert in advance of the cock a pet cool: 9 by which the operator may easily ascertain when the operation has been carried on suliiciently to extract all the in soluble material, as by opening the latter the drip will instantly indicate to him as to the clearness or cloudiness of the liquid how nearly completed the operation has been carried on.

I may use further aid to the extraction of the gold the use of mercury, which may be operated coniointly with the means already de scribed. To this end I apply a rose jet 10 in the mouth of the supply pipe leading by pipe connection of sufficient length as indicated at 11 by Which a bottle of mercury may be employed to feed to the drum.

After a sufficiently deep bed of solid residue has been extracted, the flexible lining With the valuable charge is removed from the drum and treated by heat to volatilize the grease or mercury or both and burn out the paper leaving Within the muflie an ingot of pure gold from Which the silicious matter may be skimmed or.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The process of recovering finely divided insoluble material in dilute suspension in a liquid consisting in rapidly rotating the liquid in a hollow open drum, a lining of porous fabric on the inside of the drum coated With grease to imbed and retain the gold, and simultaneously removing the clear Water after a sufficient period of centrifugal action.

2. A. centrifugal separator for recovering gold and accompanying insoluble materials from dilute colloidal solutions thereoi comprising a rotary hollow flanged drum, a lina. Means for extracting gold from liquid solutions in Which it is carried by suspension, comprising a rotary. drum, a lining therefor, carrying a film of a greasy substance having attraction for gold, an induction pipe for supplying the liquid to the interior of the drum, a suction for Withdrawing the clear Water, a valve controlling the suction, and a pet cock between the valve and the drum for ascertaining the condition of the extraction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name.

OLIVER C. KNIFE. 

